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Do Prophet's successors have the right to alter or abolish parts of Prophet's Sunnah or Sharia Law?

The second caliph Umar bin al-Khattab (رضی الله عنه), for example, is known for having forbidden the practice of Mut'ah in marriage and Hajj which were allowed by the Holy Prophet. Can his decision be genuinely justified?

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  • @user5380 Can you strike out the second question? Just the last line of it? Your first question is a good one. – Bleeding Fingers May 29 '14 at 15:48
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    @BleedingFingers Well, I think both questions are valid because the questioner seems to be directly prompted by the popular allegation about the second caliph and that whether he was right or wrong. To me it seems like a very legitimate and descent question. – infatuated May 29 '14 at 19:25
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No, Caliphs are not allowed to change the orders of allah nor the prophet.

However, the prophet (PBUH) specifically asked us to follow the 4 rightly guided caliphs(Abu baker, Umar, Othman, Ali) because they are the best people Islam has seen. The hadeeth found in At-tridmhi and Abu Dawud

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, "O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us." He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your ameer. Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the rightly guided caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bidah (innovation) is misguidance." [Abu Dawud] It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a good and sound hadeeth.

As for the example you have given, check this answer:

Why did Umar (RA) forbid Mutah (temporary marriage) after the death of the prophet?

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    There must be a convincing reason for re-expressing only this hadith for those who were already back. I mean, was this the only change that Umar expressed only this one? – Mohammad Hossein May 30 '14 at 12:48
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    @MohammadHossein, who said only this hadith ? I mentioned this hadith only because the example given is only about this hadith. Read his bio to know other hadiths which were re-exepressed. – Sohaeb May 30 '14 at 16:42

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